Sanding machine for motor vehicles



Feb. 4, 1941. R ELSTQN 2,230,971

SANDING MACHINE FOR MOTOR- VEHICLES Filed Oct. 28, 1938 2 SheetS--Sheeil l Inven/or Feb. 4, 1941.

R. R. ELsToN 2,230,971 SANDING MACHINE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Oct. 28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2 j@ 4 y 5 Patented I Feb. 4, 1941 PA'EN' OFFQE 2,230,911 sANmNG MACHINE Foa Moron VEHICLES Rue Raymond Elston, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Highway Safety Appliances, Incorporated, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application October 28, 1938, Serial No. `2437,503

s claims. (ci. 291-44) This invention relates to improvements in sanding machines of the general type described in my Patents No. 1,812,521 dated June 30, 1931, for Sander for busses and other Vehicles, and No. 2,016,419 dated october s, 1935, for sander for motor vehicles. It is an object of this invention to provide a 4machine of this class having novel means for guarding against the freezing and cloggingy of the outlet passages for the sand when used under such conditions as freezing temperatures and spraying moisture. Another object is to provide in a machine of this class outlet spouts for the sand adapted to be quickly and easily adjusted to properly distribute the sand in front of wheels of the double tire type wherein the widths of the tires and spacing of them transversely of the machine Varies between wide limits.

. A further object is to provide a machine of this class with a control Valve for the sand and quickly adjustable means for regulating the degree of opening of the valve to meet the varying requirements for adequate and economical use of sand or other gritty material.

Other objects will `appear and be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims. Y

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved sanding machine, together' with a fragmentary portion of the vehicle on which it is mounted;

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the vehicle frame taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, showing the sanding machine in front elevation; e

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through one of the stand outlet spouts;

Fig. Llis a plan view of one of the sand hoppers;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the hopper'and discharge portions of one of the sanding machine units, and v Fig. 6 is a vertical section through one of the hoppers, associated control mechanism and upper portions of the outlet spouts, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. v

My improved sanding machine is 'particularly although not exclusively adapted for use with a motor vehicle of `the type `having double tired wheels I and frame members 8. A pair oi sand hoppers 9 are supported on a pair of angle bars I0 extending across the frame 'members 8 and secured thereto in suitable manner. rl."he top of each hopper has al filling opening provided with a hinged cover I adapted to be secured in closed `lating material. projects from this plate for an external circuit position by a bolt I2 and wing nut threaded thereon.

Mounted cn the bottom of each of the sand hoppers 9 is a casting I3 communicating at its u upper end with an opening in the bottom of the hopper and having short tubular outlets I4 at opposite sides. An annular valve seat I5 is provided near the upper extremity of the casting I3 and a conical valve closure IG is fitted with an annular and resilient insert Il to engage the '10 valve seat. The closure I6 is secured to the upper end of a valve stem I8 which is arranged to be actuated to open the valve and a helical spring I9 is disposed coaxially with the stem It to normally hold the valve in closed position. `15 The lower end of this spring abuts against a sealed cover 20 for a solenoid chamber 2| formed in the casting I3 between the outlets I4.

A solenoid coil 22 is enclosed in the chamber 2l with the stem EB projecting into an axial opening in this coil and a tubular guide 23 projecting up from the cover 20 into the hollow valve closure It to exclude sand from the solenoid chamber. The lower end of the chamber 2i has an integral head 24 and threaded in a centrally located and tapped bore in this head is a stud 25 which projects into the path of the valve stem I8 to limit downward movement thereof. The position of the stud 25 is readily adjustable to regulate the valve opening, a kerfed 30 end being exposed between the sand outlets I4.

A lock nut 26 is threaded on the stud 25 and is `also accessible to securely fasten the stud in adjusted position. Y e e At one side the solenoid chamber ZI has an 3" openingffor electric circuit connections and the opening is normally closed by a plate 21 of insu- `A terminal binding screw 23 Wire 2S and this screw is included in one side of 40 the circuit through the solenoid 22. The other side of thecircuit is grounded on the casting I3. To properly distribute the sand in front of the tires I of double tired wheels of various widths, I provide a pair of outlet spouts 30 constructed 45 entirely from resilient flexible material, such as soft rubber. Each of these spouts has a cylindrical and vertically disposed upper end portion '3l` which is fastened by a binding ring or clamp on the exterior of an outlet Ill of the casting I3. 50 From the portion I3 each spout extends obliquely downward at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from the vertical and is formed with an enlarged, cylindrical `and vertically disposed lower endV portion 32 having the outlet opening in its 5 lower extremity. As best shown in Fig. 3, an annular shoulder 33 is formed within and in upwardly spaced relation to the lower end of the spout.

It has been found that this annular shoulder effectively guards against the clogging of the spout in operation because it deects from the more restricted inner passage the spray of water which is produced when the Vehicle is operating under the adverse weather and road conditions requir-V ing sanding. The spout 3u preferably has an opening or passage 34 through it of substantially cylindrical form and about one and one-halt` inches in diameter. Such bore is adequate to allow the free ow of the sand at the desired rate but excludes a maximum of spray which if allowed to enter and collect in the spout causes clogging and freezing in the passage.

The solenoids 22 for a pair of the sanding machines are connected in a suitable circuit with the vehicle battery and this circuit includes a control switch, within convenient reach of the driver of the vehicle so that the latter can operate the sand valves instantaneously and simultaneously when the sand is required to give improved traction. One suitable type of circuit for this purpose is described and illustrated in my Patent No.

1,812,521, above referred to and others will be obvious tc those skilled in the art.

Sand of about one-quarter inch maximum screen or cinders or other suitable gritty material is charged into the hoppers 9 through the cover openings. When safe operation of the vehicle requires that the road be sanded the solenoids 22 are energized. This opens the valves by drawing the valve stems I8 downward and allows sand to ow from the hoppers 9 through the outlets M and spouts 3Q. These spouts properly distribute the sand in front of the wheels 1 as indicated in Fig. 2. Various amounts of sand are required 'for different conditions and for wheels of different widths and sizes and the readily accessible stud 25 and lock nut 25 afford means for regulating the extent of the valve opening and correspending rate of flow of the sand from the outlet spouts. In this manner I provide for the economical use of the sand or other gritty material carried in the hoppers 9.'

Byl providing separate and independently adjustable outlet spouts 3i), I adapt the machine for use where the spacing and size of the tires vary between wide limits and also make it possible to properly distri-bute the sand in various installations, such as those where the sand hoppers cannot be positioned directly in front of the wheels. With the long, laterally projecting spouts and their independent, rotary adjustment, the sand or other grit may be distributed to either side of the hopper and in streams at various distances apart.

My elongated, flexible and laterally projecting spouts perform the further important function of preventing the adherence kof water and snow and the formation of ice in and around the discharge openings. Experience has shown that where a part made of metal or other heat conducting material is located within or adjacent to the outlet opening of the spout relatively rapid freezing on of the water and clogging results. This -s avoided by my soft rubber spouts which are poor conductors of heat. When the vehicle is Vin motion vthe laterally projecting, free ends of the flexible spout are maintained in continuous, relathe adherence of drops of water for a sufcient 'the double tire type said machine having a hopper for granular material, duplicate outlet passages communicating with the bottom of said hopper and having horizontally spaced and substantially horizontally disposed cylindrical discharge ends, and a valve controlling the ow of material from said hopper to said passages, the improvements which comprise separate flexible tubular spouts projecting obliquely down and laterally from said passages to discharge independent and separate streams of said material, said spouts having cylindrical upper ends revolubly fitting the discharge ends of said passages whereby said spouts are adapted to deliver streams of said material di rectly in front of vehicle tires variously spaced relative to each other and to the hopper, means securing the upper ends of said spouts to the discharge ends of said passages respectively, and an annular internal shoulder formed in each of said spouts in upwardly spaced relation but adjacent to the lower discharge ends of the spouts, each of said spouts and shoulders being formed from soft rubber and being freely supported whereby the shoulder and lower endv of each spout will vibrate when the vehicle to which the machine is attached is in motion to prevent adherence of moisture particles in the lower ends and shoulder portions of the spouts.

2. In a machine of the class described having a hopper for granular material, an outlet passage communicating with the bottom of said hopper `and a valve controlling the ow of material from said hopper to said passage, the improvements which comprise, a flexible tubular spout projecting obliquely down and laterally from said passage and adapted to conduct a stream of said material to a point of discharge substantially below said bottom, said spout having a substantially vertically disposed discharge outlet and an annular internal shoulder'formed in the vertical portion of said spout in upwardly spaced relation to the discharge outlet end of the spout, said spout and shoulder being formed from soft rubber and being freely supported whereby the kdischarge end of the spout and shoulder will vibrate when the vehicle to. which the machine is attached is in motion to prevent adherence of moisture particles in the discharge end and shoulder portion of the spout. 3. A sand discharge device for motor vehicle Sanders comprising, a tube adapted for connection with a supply for sand, said tube comprising a iiexible tubular spout for connection to said supply to project obliquely down and laterally of said connection and adapted to conduct a stream of sand or the like to a point of discharge substantially below said supply, said spout having a substantially vertically disposed discharge outlet and an annular internal shoulder formed in the vertical portion of said spout in upwardly spaced relation to the discharge outlet end of the spout, said spout and shoulder being formed from soft rubber and adapted to be freely supported whereby the discharge end of the spout and shoulder will vibrate when the vel'lcle carrying the sander is in motion to prevent adherence of moisture particles in the discharge end and shoulder portion of the spout.

RUE vRAYMOND ELSTON. 

